POUND RIDGE, N.Y. – Pound Ridge Library District residents went to the polls Thursday and overwhelming passed the library budget with 72 percent of the voters casting a “yes” vote.

The $586,223 spending package was approved by a 102-39 margin. Of that, $524,853 will be raised by taxes, an increase of 5.9 percent from last year’s total of $495,800. The 2013 budget’s approval means library district taxpayers will pay $1.40 per $1,000 of their assessed property values, up eight cents, or 6 percent, from $1.32 in 2012.

To supplement the $524,853 that will be raised by taxes and get to the final budget total of $586,223, the library will garner income from book sales, a cottage rental, donations and grants, endowments and other miscellaneous revenue, such as fines.

While voter turnout was higher than in recent years, Library Director Marilyn Tinter said it’s a relatively small turnout compared to town and school board votes, which she interprets as a sign that people are pleased with the library.

“I think people are satisfied,” she said. “If people were upset about the library they would come out to vote against the budget and the turnout would be higher. But they seem to favor the essential role that the library plays.”

Tinter said she’s grateful to the residents for their vote of confidence.

“We worked hard to keep the budget as low as possible,” she said. “We are looking forward to a successful year and will continue to work to improve the quality of our services.”

Voters also elected four candidates from a slate of seven to serve on the library’s board of trustees. The top vote-getters were incumbents Jennifer Coulter and David Dow, who received 86 and 81 votes, respectively. The two newcomers are Diane Mazzanti, who garnered 72 votes, and Vince Manna, who received 65.

Dow, a 14-year resident of the town, is the current board president.

Coulter, who has lived in Pound Ridge for 10 years, has served on the board for four years and as secretary for two years. She has been a member of several sub-committees and serves as board liaison to the Pound Ridge Library Foundation.

Mazzanti has been a library member for more than 17 years and has served as a volunteer. She’s a practicing business and real estate attorney and serves on the boards of the Pound Ridge Library Foundation and the Pound Ridge Community Church Pre-School.

Manna is a 14-year resident of Pound Ridge and has served as the town historian and as a board member of the Pound Ridge Historical Society, the Pound Ridge Land Conservancy and the Morgenthau Preserve. He also is co-author of the land use section of the Pound Ridge Master Plan.